9 Ways to Improve Your Life Through Subtraction and the Science Behind It

“When things aren’t adding up in your life, start subtracting.” —Anonymous

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Recent videos:

Keeping Up with the Joneses

7 Daily Habits to Change Your Life Forever

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Most popular videos:

7 Daily Habits for a Clutter-Free Home: Declutter for Good

Top 10 Things to Declutter Right Now

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You can read more tips in my book, The Minimalist Home.

Read hundreds of articles on decluttering and owning less on the Becoming Minimalist blog.

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[fightjusticelm]

1. Owning Less Possessions
2. Remove Unhealthy habits
3. Remove Unhealthy Foods
4. Subtract Processes at Work
5. Spend Less
6. Walkaway from Unhealthy Relationships
7. Limit the Number of Goals
8. Limit Amount of Social Obligations
9. Fewer Words are better. Speak Wisely.

[hashmo]

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. Antoine de Saint-Exupery

[thomashughes]

4:07 - I was hyperinsulinemic, and EVERY doctor and nutritionist wanted to ADD medicines and this food and that food.

Pro tip: I subtracted FOOD!

I used to always eat a pretty good portion of meat, and I would then eat "all day long" and eat cookies and drink a 500 ml Mexican Coke (I mention the country because the Cokes from country to country have different formulae), &c.

So, along with subtracting refined carbs and sugar, I subtracted TWO meals per day, and some days I subtract a day or two from my week of eating.

This subtraction then subtracted my insulin levels and blood glucose.

In a mere three months of "sticking to it"; I have reversed my Type 2 diabetes, lost 11 kgs, and sleep apnea.

I feel kind of bad because I did ADD more sleep to my life, but that's a good thing!

Thanks Joshua ... partly your videos of minimalist forced me to see that even food could be minimalised as well. God bless the Becker family forever! <3

[janetstonerook]

As I age, I let go of many more stored possessions. I'm in my 70s and probably am not going to need skis or heavy power saws henceforth! I have found younger folks who will help me clean out my storage buildings and are delighted to take these things off my hands for personal use or to add to their flea marketing sales. I don't recall ever regretting giving these things away or needing them afterwards.

[jennydunlop]

Instead of buying more boxes, baskets and filing systems to organize our stuff, why don’t we just get rid of most of our stuff?

[lockman]

In the 1990's I took a class from some really smart Russian scientists on problem solving. In their system the first step was called "trimming". Can this problem part or issue be eliminated all together was their question. I've used this step in 100's of meetings working in a manufacturing business. Some of the best advice I had in my life, including my personal life.

Add to that advise is to solve the root cause of problems rather than treating symptoms and you can improve almost any bad situation.

[cpt.morgan]

Brilliant as always. Should be taught at schools .

[sct]

I subtracted people, best decision ever.

[GratefulDeb]

“There is power in rest & solitude…” yes. Great video! Ty!

[silverylotus]

So true! The go-to solution to clutter is fancy organization or a system right? When the simplest solution is to own less so that you don't even need a system.

[monagoulette]

Great video! In keeping with the principle of this message, I love how there are no ads in your videos!! ❤️

[arlenekeith]

On my way to downsizing I find less is truly more ! Less chaos, and less to care for. It's like my mindset switched at some point and I'm finding it easier to let go of the unnecessary things. Thank you for your videos and guidance

[alcole]

I wish I had back all those hours of "creative" meetings that got in the way of our team actually being creative.

[brittanythode]

One of your best videos. Thanks for keeping the content substantive, brief, and valuable. 👍🏻

[kressten]

We shouldn’t be surprised by these studies, we have been trained by society that we need more than less. May GOD help us

[robyn-mareepenny]

Great video. It really got me rethinking my lifestyle. Lockdown never became time for stillness for me. It became renovations and work commitments and extra jobs and I'm run down and burned out. Lockdown declared here in Victoria Australia today and I'm actually strangely enough on bed rest. Sometimes the Lord needs to really nudge us for us to see through the world's crazy expectations and our own ridiculous ones too. Thank you for your message.

[hrobert]

Very inspirational. “Simplify your schedule” especially hit home for me.

[lizziemcdougall]

Very interesting! Subtracting the many complications in my life has lead to simplicity and more relaxation. Thanks for the list of areas to consider.. There are definitely more areas in my life that could use some subtracting.

[NotYourAvgJoey]

This is probably my favorite video on his channel, very much appreciated and will put to use 🙌🏽

[valerierogers]

Very little added to life, materially, will ultimately change it for the better. Instead, seek wisdom and experience that enriches your spirit.